


the blue of your eyes (hide something golden in them)

by tentatively



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, BAMF Merlin (Merlin), Canon Divergence, Canon Era, Established Relationship, Evil Morgana (Merlin), Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Merlin's Magic Revealed (Merlin), Protective Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Romance, mercelot bffs because why not
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-15 18:36:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28693335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tentatively/pseuds/tentatively
Summary: “Merlin,” Arthur’s face looked crestfallen, anguished. “I told you to stay away. Why are you here, you idiot?”“Oh how very touching,” Morgana said, mockery clear in her tone. “Did you really think that your little pet wouldn’t follow you, even into death?” She gasped dramatically, turning to look at Merlin again. “Oh, I’m sorry, Merlin. Did I hurt your esteem...”“...after all,” she said, edging in on Merlin. “You’re not just his pet, are you?”or,Camelot's at war with Escetir and Morgana has discovered whoEmrysreally is.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 27
Kudos: 420





	the blue of your eyes (hide something golden in them)

**Author's Note:**

> hi my lovely merlin fam!!  
> as you've probably guessed from the summary itself, this is me trying my hand at writing a magic-reveal fic,, hope this is enjoyable! *yeets away*

“Merlin, where are you going?”

Merlin almost squawked and froze in his place before he recognised Lancelot’s voice. Sighing deeply, he turned around.

Lancelot had a brow quirked questioningly, leaning against the stone wall. “Where are you running off to, in the middle of the night?”

“Didn’t see you following me,” Merlin shot back, playful and challenging.

“I wasn’t,” Lancelot said. “I came down here to see Guinevere. On my way back, I heard footsteps.”

“Is _Guinevere_ also the reason why you were late to knights’ training this morning –”

“Merlin,” Lancelot interjected, small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “Don’t try to elude my question.”

Merlin leant back against the dimly lit wall, shoulders slouching. “It’s _Aglain_. I...heard him calling to me in my sleep.”

“Aglain? You mean the Druid leader Aglain?”

Merlin nodded, face turning more resolute. “There must be something he needs to tell me. Something about...”

“Morgana?” Lancelot asked, stepping closer. “Mordred?”

“I – I can’t tell,” Merlin said. “I could only feel that it was him calling for me.”

“So you’re going out in the middle of the night, alone?” Lancelot said, arms crossed across his chest. “Are you out of your wits? I’m coming with you.”

“Lancelot,” Merlin said. “I can take care of myself. You of all people know that. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”

“I don’t care, I’m not letting you go alone like this,” Lancelot said firmly. “I’ll just go fetch my sword.”

“Lancelot, you really don’t have to –”

“I know,” Lancelot said, before turning around to go to the armoury. “But I want to.”

*****

“This is quite unnerving,” Lancelot murmured. They were on horseback, cantering through the darkling woods. “I wouldn’t be able to see a thing if not for your magic.”

Merlin turned back to look at him, snickering. “The bravest of the knights, scared of the dark?” His eyes glowed and the fire dancing atop his left palm shuddered and grew.

“This is genuinely scary, Merlin,” Lancelot remarked. “And Gwaine wouldn’t be particularly happy with you calling me the bravest.”

Merlin softly laughed, a sound that reverberated in the chill and silence of the woods. “You two, I swear. I’m quite sure even Arthur –”

“Merlin!”

They jerked to a stop and Merlin’s head turned back ahead. There before them stood Aglain, along with a few of his druid companions. “Aglain,” Merlin said, regaining his breath. “You found me, it seems.”

 _“Emrys,”_ Aglain’s earthy voice in the still of the night sounded too similar to a warning. Suddenly, Merlin noticed a long scar on Aglain’s left cheek, fresh and red. He also looked weary and pale which was uncharacteristic of the Druid leader.

“What happened? Are you injured?” Merlin stepped closer to Aglain, followed closely by Lancelot.

“My injuries are of little importance, Emrys,” Aglain stated. “We were attacked.”

“Attacked?” Merlin was alarmed. “By whom?”

“Morgana,” Aglain said. “She happened to abduct one of our kindred – Valmoira, and...” Aglain drew in a sharp, pained breath. “...tormented them to the point of –”

“Where is Valmoira now? Are they okay?” Merlin promptly asked, fists balling in anger at Morgana’s heinous actions.

“Yes, we did manage to retrieve them,” Aglain said. “Though it was too late.”

“What – what do you mean?” Merlin asked, cold dread settling in his stomach. Yes, Morgana was bitter and obsessed with vengeance, but the Druids – they were her people, too. He couldn’t imagine that she would sink to the unfathomable extent of –

“They’re alive,” Aglain said, sensing Merlin’s obvious fear. “Emrys, the Lady Morgana abducted Valmoira to know about you. About your identity. She wanted to know who Emrys is. And Valmoira – they’re young, still honing their skills, I’m sorry they couldn’t keep your secret.”

“Oh my god, Aglain, please,” Merlin said, holding the former’s hands. “You don’t have to be sorry for _anything_. It is I who’s sorry. I’m sorry to you, and especially to Valmoira for what they had to go through just to keep my secret. I can’t – I can’t,” Merlin placed a shaky hand on his heart. “I can’t imagine what Valmoira had to go through. All because I’m a coward who’s too scared to out myself.” Merlin closed his eyes shut, drinking in a wave of immense guilt. He felt Lancelot’s hand on his shoulder.

“Wait, Merlin,” Lancelot suddenly spoke. He looked at the Druid leader. “When did this happen?”

“It’s been a few hours since we retrieved Valmoira from Morgana’s den. Valmoira was kidnapped when they went out to fetch water and food which is why we didn’t suspect anything until much later,” Aglain explained.

“Remember Merlin, when you were wondering yesterday why Morgana was nowhere in sight along with Cenred and Morgause?” Lancelot said, hands on his hips. “Now this makes sense.”

“You do know that Cenred declared war on Camelot yesterday?” Merlin directed the question at Aglain. The latter nodded. Merlin blew out a puff of breath. “And now Morgana knows that _I’m_ Emrys.”

“Merlin, she may already be at Camelot,” Lancelot said. The dread on Merlin’s face grew along with the trepidation of his heart. Thanking Aglain, the two rode off towards a fateful encounter with one who now knew Merlin’s secret and could destroy everything in a moment.

*****

“Where’s Arthur?” was the first question out of Merlin after he and Lancelot reached Camelot. It was almost dawn.

“I last saw him with Leon, why?” Gaius said. “What of Aglain? What did he want to tell you?”

“Morgana,” Merlin rasped out. “She knows. She knows that I’m Emrys.”

Gaius’ horror-stricken face was exactly how Merlin was feeling, probably much worse. “Well, then it’s a good thing that she isn’t here at this occasion? I mean, we didn’t see her with Morgause or Cenred, so...”

“No,” Merlin said. “I’m plenty sure Morgana is here. At least she is _now_. I – I have to keep an eye on Arthur.” Merlin bolted out of the little chamber in frenzied, clumsy steps.

Merlin found his king in the throne room, in accompaniment with Leon and Sir Kay. “Merlin,” he said as the wizard entered the room, his gaze softening. “You sleep okay?” The stone in Merlin’s heart somehow only grew heavier at that unguarded, easy question. He let out an exhale and constantly clenched and unclenched his clammy hands. “Yeah,” Merlin said. Well, at least Arthur didn’t _know_ yet.

“Take a seat,” Arthur offered, and in his eyes Merlin saw an underlying concern obviously due to Merlin’s tense disposition. “Cenred’s army is almost upon us. Battle will commence at first light, I’m assuming.”

“Is Morgana with him?” Merlin anxiously asked, eyes shifting from Arthur to Leon to Kay.

“Morgana, no,” Arthur answered, but he seemed troubled. “Our patrols only saw Cenred and Morgause.”

“Isn’t that strange?” Merlin pushed on.

“It is, actually,” Arthur sighed. “I can only imagine that perhaps she’ll join in later with more reinforcements.”

After the brief meeting, Arthur asked Merlin to follow him to his chambers. Merlin silently hoped that Arthur wouldn’t sense how on edge and panicked he was feeling. The king sat him down on the bed and with soft, steadfast eyes looked at Merlin. “Merlin, we’ll be at war any moment now.”

“Yes, Sire, I am aware,” Merlin curled his lips into a grin.

“I don’t know,” Arthur sighed, lowering his head. “I just...have a bad feeling about this time. I don’t know what it is. It’s irrational. But it’s a warrior’s gut feeling, Merlin, which is why...”

“Which is why...?”

“Which is why I need you to promise me that you’ll stay out of danger,” Arthur said, boring holes into Merlin’s soul with those deep, enchantingly blue eyes of his. “I know you have a habit of diving straight into the very face of peril, but not this time, Merlin. Not while we’re at one of the biggest battles Camelot’s ever faced after I was crowned.”

This perturbed Merlin. “Arthur, I can’t handle a sword, I know,” Merlin said. “But if you think I’m leaving your side for even a single moment, you are mistaken.”

“Merlin, please,” Arthur closed his eyes. “Morgana’s grown much more powerful than the last time we encountered her.” _Trust me, I know that,_ Merlin thought. “You will stay in the citadel and help Gaius and Gwen tend to the wounded.”

“No,” Merlin protested, as if Arthur’s suggestions were simply ludicrous, laughable. “I am _not_ leaving your side. That’s it.”

“I’m ordering you to,” Arthur stood up, exhaling desperately.

“And when was the last time I listened to your orders?”

Arthur closed in on him, holding the jut of Merlin’s chin with his palm. Merlin felt Arthur’s quick, hot breath on his face. “I’m your king,” Arthur said, knowing all too well that this was already a lost contest. Merlin raised one of his brows and eyed him knowingly. “I know,” he whispered. “Which is why I’ll protect you with my life.” Arthur smiled weakly and caught Merlin’s lips with his own. The bedside lamp flickered ominously. “Arthur,” Merlin said, breaking the kiss. “No matter what happens, I love you. Please remember that.”

“And I you, Merlin.”

*****

Half a day later, when Camelot soldiers were only starting to hope that perhaps the odds were in their favour, another army – about half the size of Cenred’s own – marched in league with the king of Escetir. And it was led by none other than Morgana.

Lancelot was the first to inform Merlin.

“I’ll try to keep her away from Arthur,” the knight promised and Merlin was immensely grateful, but also in equal amounts anxious. Lancelot obviously could not prevent Morgana single-handedly, for long.

“Gaius, she’s here,” Merlin whispered to the physician who was tying up a civilian’s wounds. Gaius turned to him, eyes grave. “I have to go.”

“Merlin, be careful,” Gaius warned. “And if it is time...be prepared for it.”

“Time? Time for what?”

“For the truth to be revealed,” Gaius solemnly said. “You do know that Arthur has to know someday, right?”

“Yes, but not like this, Gaius,” Merlin said, distraught. “I – it’s – not like this, Gaius. Not today.”

Merlin sprinted on his feet to where the Camelot knights were fighting against the northern advance, now reinforced by Morgana. Arthur was there, too. And spotting Merlin throwing himself into battle, his eyes bulged and he jerked the gaunt man back. “ _Mer_ lin,” he growled. “No. No. Do you not see? _Morgana’s_ here. Go back.”

“All the more reason for me to be here!” Merlin shouted, pushing the king back.

“Merlin, I can’t do this right now, I’m in the middle of a ba –”

“So back off!” Merlin desperately countered. “Why are you so set upon protecting me? What use is it if you’re not even here anymore?”

“Merlin, pl –”

“No, Arthur,” Merlin cut him off harshly. “You have no right. If I wish to die trying to protect you, that is my choice alone.” Merlin shoved him aside and trudged to where he could see Elyan and Gwaine fighting off Morgana’s army. Looking ahead, he couldn’t locate Morgana anymore. His heart picked up a dreadful pace.

“Where’s Morgana?” he yelled through the rumble of battle.

“I don’t know!” Gwaine yelled back. “She was here just – _ow!”_ An enemy sword slashed through his arm.

With a single spell, Merlin cleared away the clamour of enemy soldiers surrounding Arthur before he turned on his heels to search for Morgana who had mysteriously vanished.

Merlin was still looking for her when a horrifying roar sounded and a large number of Escetir’s soldiers barged into the citadel. Someone had clearly opened the eastern gates from inside the castle. Someone who knew the place inside out: Morgana. Camelot’s army, now extremely alarmed and hysterical, tried to break up the advance of enemies inside the castle, simultaneously shutting the door. “Merlin!” Gwen’s distressed voice came from within. “They’re in here! Run!”

Gwen gripped Merlin’s hands tightly, trying to take him somewhere safer. “Gwen, Gwen,” Merlin breathed. “You – you go. I have to find Arthur.”

Gwen looked like she was trying her best not to fall apart. “I – I can’t find Lancelot anywhere either,” she said, her voice strangled. “I don’t know if...if –”

“He’s fine, Gwen,” Merlin assured her, clasping her cold hands. “He’s a great warrior. I’m sure he’s fine. You go find somewhere safe, and take Gaius with you.”

Gwen pursed her lips, nodding. “Will you look for him? Lance?”

“Of course, I will, Gwen,” Merlin said, embracing her. “Don’t you worry. I’ll bring him back to you just fine.”

*****

It wasn’t long before Merlin stumbled upon Lancelot, lying unconscious on the stone floor. Panic seized Merlin at once, but there weren’t any fatal wounds he could locate. Merlin felt his pulse. _Steady. Quite steady_. He sighed. “ _Ic þe þurhhæle þin licsare_ ,” Merlin quickly muttered a spell under his breath.

Lancelot stirred in his spot. Slowly opening his eyes, he said, “Merlin, I’m so sorry.”

“Where is Arthur?”

Lancelot winced, clutching his head. Merlin helped him sit up. “I tried but...there were too many of them. Then, Gwaine, Elyan and Leon appeared in the hallway along with...countless of Cenred’s men. We were all fighting them together when we lost sight of Arthur. I saw Morgause dragging him and Percival inside the throne room. So, I – I tried to hold Morgana back. She cast a stunning spell on me and I...”

Merlin breathed heavily, balling his fists with brute force. Too many people were being injured only to save his _fucking_ ass. “Thank you, Lancelot,” Merlin said, holding the knight’s face. “Truly, thank you. I could not have asked for a better friend. And I’m sorry.”

“Always, Merlin,” Lancelot said, standing up. “Let me help you with these guards.”

Opening the door to the throne room, Merlin and Lancelot found Arthur, Percival, Elyan, Leon and Gwaine on the floor, kneeling and tied up. All except Arthur were gagged as well. Morgana and Morgause were circling them, and upon seeing the two enter, Morgana’s eyes gleamed too uncomfortably for Merlin’s liking.

“Merlin,” Arthur’s face looked crestfallen, anguished. “I told you to stay away. Why are you here, you idiot?”

“Oh how very touching,” Morgana said, mockery clear in her tone. “Did you really think that your little pet wouldn’t follow you, even into death?” She gasped dramatically, turning to look at Merlin again. “Oh, I’m sorry, Merlin. Did I hurt your esteem...”

“...after all,” she said, edging in on Merlin. “You’re not just his pet, are you?”

“Morgana, let them go,” Merlin stated, shutting his eyes.

“Already?” she said. “Come on, Merlin, you and I both know that I’ve only begun. I’m plenty sure that old man has told you about Valmoira and what I’ve done.”

She paused threateningly, enjoying Merlin’s plight. “About what I _know_.”

“What rubbish are you speaking?” Arthur demanded, gritting his teeth. “Don’t talk in riddles.”

“I’m not, dear brother,” Morgana smirked. “Merlin here knows exactly what I mean.”

Letting out a shaky breath, Merlin said, “I don’t. Now let them go.”

 _“Ástríce!”_ Morgana shouted, and Merlin and Lancelot went flailing back. “Fight me back, Merlin. Fight me back, _Emrys_.”

“Tell him!” Morgana roared. “Tell your precious Arthur that you’ve lied to him all these years. Tell him that you’re the very creature he’s been taught to hate. Tell him you’re a sorcerer, Merlin. Tell him!”

Instinctively, Merlin’s eyes darted to Arthur who was staring him, disbelieving, questioning. “No,” Merlin said. _Not like this. Please not like this._ He hated that he was denying who he was, but...not like _this_. “You’re lying.”

“The famed _Emrys_ is a fucking coward,” Morgana spat at him. “You knew. Merlin, you knew. You were one of the first people in the kingdom to know that I have magic. You saw me when I was scared, when I felt so alone. And you said _nothing_.”

“Morgana, I –”

“What is she saying?” Arthur asked, breathing hard. “Morgana, stop it. Enough of your games.”

Morgana shot one last dirty look at Merlin, like a warning. “Oh the game has just begun,” she deadpanned, moving to where Arthur was knelt on the floor. “If you’re not going to spill the truth by means of inquiry, I know of other ways.” Having uttered those words, she promptly unsheathed her dagger and plunged it into Arthur’s abdomen. Arthur shrieked in agony, falling upon the cold, stone floor in laboured gasps and pained breaths.

“Arthur,” Merlin scurried to his king’s side, gathering him in his arms. “Arthur. Arthur. Stay with me, please. Arthur.”

 _“Licsar ge staðol nu,”_ Merlin bellowed, with as much strength and emphasis as he could muster. His eyes glowed a fine shade of gold. _“Licsar ge staðol nu_ ,” he repeated, cumulating all his concentration on the spell. The wound started closing, and Merlin kept repeating the spell over and over until the entire wound had vanished.

“Merlin...” Arthur called him, and when Merlin looked at him, his heart clenched painfully. He looked so...betrayed, and angry, and disbelieving, and... _scared?_ “Merlin, you – you -”

“Yes he’s a sorcerer, Arthur,” Morgana said, rolling her eyes. “I had to threaten your life to have him reveal his true self.”

“Morgana,” Merlin seethed, teeth clenching together. “What did you gain from this?”

Morgana simply snorted. “You don’t have to know. It doesn’t matter, anyway. You’re doomed. This kingdom is doomed. Without you, Camelot is all but lost.”

“Yes,” Merlin spat. “Yes. But I am here, am I not? And as long as I stand, Camelot will not fall.”

Having said that, an unwavering resolution stretched across Merlin’s countenance. _“Ástríce!”_ he cried, arms extended towards Morgana and Morgause, throwing them back with brute force. “You miscalculated, my Lady.”

 _“Unspanne þás mægþ,”_ Merlin swiftly cast a spell to untie all the knights and Arthur, who would still not lock eyes with him. Gulping that down, he turned around to find a swarm of enemies barging into the throne room. Lancelot raised his sword and dove headfirst into the fight. _No more_ , Merlin decided. _No_ _more people harmed to keep my secret. This ends now_.

 _“Forþ fleoge!”_ Merlin yelled, hurling tens and hundreds of soldiers against the walls and knocking them unconscious. The knights stood still, frozen in place, all staring at the magnitude of Merlin’s strength. All except Arthur. Whose eyes also carried the unmistakeable weight of years of betrayal.

“Come on, let’s clear the passage,” Lancelot called on them.

Still mostly in a trance, they followed him out of the throne room. Arthur was at the end. Before leaping out, he turned to look at Merlin. “You lied to me,” he said. “Even when I loved you.”

Merlin had only opened his mouth to say something when a horde of Escetir’s soldiers closed in on them, and instead he pushed Arthur out of the way. _“Forþ fleoge!”_ he chanted again, sending the entire troop back. He noticed Arthur eyeing him from the corner, open-mouthed, fist tightened around the hilt of his sword. “I may have lied about who I am,” Merlin said, looking not once at his lover’s eyes. “But I’ve never lied about how much I love you.”

*****

Everything hurt. His limbs. His head. His _heart._

Merlin had, almost single-handedly, taken down the entire remaining army with his strong elemental magic. In the process, he had not gone unscathed. There was a large gash on his right leg and another right below his neck. None of it mattered. Not really. He was worn out and spent and his mind was whirling in circles. The pain in his chest was consistent. _Arthur. Arthur_. Merlin felt like he would collapse any moment now.

The next time we woke up was in the familiar, cramped up space he shared with the court physician; Gwen, Lancelot and Gwaine at his side. “Merlin, buddy,” Gwaine said when he noticed Merlin fluttering his eyes open. “How are ya?”

Merlin drank in his surroundings. “Merlin,” the old man’s voice came from behind. “Merlin, you’re awake!”

The door bolted open at Gaius’ words, and Merlin saw Arthur entering their chamber, clad in his white tunic. “He’s awake?” Arthur asked, something akin to relief in his voice. Merlin’s head hurt a little. But at Arthur’s entrance, the images and events from the battle came pouring in.

 _He knows_ , he recalled. _He knows that I’m a sorcerer._

“Merlin,” Arthur called out, striding towards the gaunt wizard. Merlin didn’t know what overcame him, but he leaped off the cot and edged away from the king in fear. “Arthur,” he pleaded, eyes shut. “Please, just...let me leave. I’ll leave. Banish me.”

Arthur stopped in his tracks as if he had just been slapped square across his face. A plethora of murmured pleas left Merlin’s mouth as he kept himself plastered against a wall, away from Arthur. “You think I would _banish_ you, Merlin?”

Terror seized Merlin even more acutely. “So...so, do you want to... _execute_ me, Arthur?”

The question hung in the tense air precariously, nobody knowing what the correct response would be to placate the situation. “Merlin...” the sound of Arthur’s stately voice was meek, broken, defeated. “How could you ever think that I would execute you?”

Merlin looked like he was unable to form logical thoughts any further.

“Merlin, I’m not a monster,” Arthur cried out, swallowing a hard breath. “I’m not my father, neither do I intend to be. I don’t care that you have magic. I only care that you lied to me. That you thought I couldn’t be trusted with your secret.”

The terror seemed to seep out of Merlin’s eyes at those words, and he took tentative steps towards his king. “Arthur, I’m sorry.”

Arthur clenched his teeth and shook his head. “Don’t say that, Merlin. I don’t know anymore what you’re sorry for. Because you damn well don’t have to be sorry for being a sorcerer.”

“I’m sorry for lying to you...all these years,” Merlin said, unsure of whether to step into Arthur’s space. “I’m so fucking sorry, Arthur.” Lancelot, Gwen, Gaius and Gwaine silently trudged out of the room, leaving the two alone. “I’m sorry for hurting you. You weren’t supposed to find out like this.”

This incensed Arthur further. “Then how _exactly_ was I supposed to find out, Merlin? Because I don’t think you were ever planning on telling me.”

“I was, I swear –”

“Do you not trust me at all?”

Arthur’s voice was rugged, raw. In his eyes Merlin could see that he was trying to mask his pain, apprehensive of what Merlin might hurl at him next.

“Arthur, of course I trust you,” Merlin said, finally stepping into his space and taking the king’s hands.

“Merlin, I would never _execute_ you,” Arthur said, desperation crawling into his tone. “I could never _kill_ you in cold blood. I could – I could never. Do you not know that?”

Merlin’s hands went to hold Arthur’s face in an attempt to reassure him. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry for ever even...I’m sorry.”

“Merlin, I love you,” Arthur said brokenly, as if Merlin was leaving him and that moment was all he had to make him stay. “You didn’t lie about that, right?”

“No, no, no,” Merlin said with emphasis. “No, Arthur. I do love you. More than anything. I’d do anything for you. My magic...it’s for you, Arthur. I’ve only ever used it for you.”

Arthur’s strong hands grabbed Merlin’s face and pressed his lips against his own roughly, almost making Merlin jump. One of his hands went down to curl around Merlin’s waist and the king pulled him impossibly close, as if afraid that if he didn’t hold him tight enough, Merlin would be gone. Merlin was pushed back by the sheer force of Arthur’s embrace – and their lips were still fighting it out, when he tasted something _salty_ – was Arthur crying? “I’m sorry,” Merlin thought he heard Arthur say. The king pulled away, gaze darting away momentarily. “I’m sorry, Merlin. That you had to feel like you could never be yourself in my kingdom, or before me.”

Merlin’s gaze softened. “I know you’re not Uther. You’re not a monster, Arthur – far from it. You’re the most honourable king I’ve known.”

“I wouldn’t banish or... _execute_ you,” Arthur cringed on the last word. “I would never. You saved me, Merlin. You risked your life to save Camelot.”

“How long was I out?” Merlin asked, genuinely clueless on the matter.

“Three whole days,” Arthur smiled weakly. “You went on a power rampage; we hardly had to raise a sword. What was it that Lancelot called them – yeah, _Stunning_ spells and _Elemental_ spells. You were really something, Merlin. We owe this victory to you.”

“Arthur, about Lancelot, I can explain –”

“Don’t worry, he already told me everything,” Arthur said, stroking Merlin’s fingers. “I’m glad you had someone you could talk to about this.”

“Probably this is a good time to tell you that Gaius knows as well.”

Arthur rolled his eyes, saying, “Of course. I know that.”

“Arthur, I know you’ve never condemned anyone with magic in your reign, but...” Merlin began. He seemed hesitant to broach the subject. “But it is still considered unlawful.”

Arthur drew in a sharp breath. “I know. I’ve just been scared. So many years of my father’s reign spent trying to establish the notion that magic is inherently evil...which of course is entirely false. I’m just worried about the people, some of the nobles – even though my father was tyrannical and prejudiced, he still did have a mass of people supporting him, you know? Quite a lot of people.”

“I get it,” Merlin nodded. “I do. Truly. But you have to do what’s right, haven’t you? Do it in your own time. But do it.”

Arthur’s lips curled to form the barest smile. “Actually, Merlin...I’ve been speaking to Geoffrey about it. He and a few others are currently engaged in drawing up the clause of lifting the ban on magic.”

“You are the _worst_ , when were you planning on telling me this?” Merlin huffed, laughing. “Oh my god, that’s great, Arthur!” The sorcerer leapt onto the king’s lap and straddled him against the bedrest. A soft groan escaped Arthur as Merlin ravished on the former’s lips, fingers curling and pulling on his sandy hair.

“So, um,” Arthur gulped, gaze piercing. “I have a proposition.”

A long smirk overtook Merlin’s face. “Go on.”

“Do you, by any chance, wish to be my Court Sorcerer?” Arthur’s eyes were like those of a child, excited and sparkling with innocent joy.

“Yes, Arthur,” Merlin said, his heart soaring. “Yes. On the gods of the Old Religion, _yes_.”

Arthur caught his bottom lip in between his teeth, saying, “I’m really hoping I have this same response when I ask you to marry me.”

Merlin giggled, gathering Arthur’s face in his hands. “Very smooth, aren’t you?”

**Author's Note:**

> leave your thoughts? x
> 
> [my tumblr](https://yourstrulyhenry.tumblr.com)


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